Midfield (at home)
Midfield played well
Bridcutt, Ince, Agustien, D. López v Huddersfield
Andrews, Agustein, Crofts, Forster-Caskey v Reading
Midfield played OK
Ince, Bridcutt, Crofts/Agustien, D. López v Bournemouth
Ince, Bridcutt, Crofts, D. López v Leicester
Midfield outplayed:
Andrews, Crofts, Forster-Caskey v Forest
Midfield awful:
Andrews, Bruno, Crofts, D. López/----- v Wednesday
Ince, Agustien, D. López v Derby
Tentative conclusion: because we have not got an outstanding central midfielder, the 4-4-2 works better for us and may explain why our away record is better than expected and our home record is below expectations. An alternative explanation is that we have still got the most difficult away matches to come.
I much prefer 4-3-3 at home but it does look like have got the players for it. Then there is the Capello-style 4-4-2 when one winger plays alternative roles in attack and midfield. Craig Noone was quite good at that. Orlandi is probably better but it is such a long time since he played I can't remember.
Other wingers like Lualua and Will Buckley look like their alternative role is a second striker rather as an additional midfielder.
Midfield played well
Bridcutt, Ince, Agustien, D. López v Huddersfield
Andrews, Agustein, Crofts, Forster-Caskey v Reading
Midfield played OK
Ince, Bridcutt, Crofts/Agustien, D. López v Bournemouth
Ince, Bridcutt, Crofts, D. López v Leicester
Midfield outplayed:
Andrews, Crofts, Forster-Caskey v Forest
Midfield awful:
Andrews, Bruno, Crofts, D. López/----- v Wednesday
Ince, Agustien, D. López v Derby
Tentative conclusion: because we have not got an outstanding central midfielder, the 4-4-2 works better for us and may explain why our away record is better than expected and our home record is below expectations. An alternative explanation is that we have still got the most difficult away matches to come.
I much prefer 4-3-3 at home but it does look like have got the players for it. Then there is the Capello-style 4-4-2 when one winger plays alternative roles in attack and midfield. Craig Noone was quite good at that. Orlandi is probably better but it is such a long time since he played I can't remember.
Other wingers like Lualua and Will Buckley look like their alternative role is a second striker rather as an additional midfielder.